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Pioneer Settlements 



^ 



Early History 



of 



Money Creek Township 




By D. F. TRIMMER, of Lexington 



A paper prepared for and read before the McLean County 
Historical Society, December 2, 1916. 



Qto, lU. Adama Ptg. Co., Bloomlngton, 11/. 



PIONEER SETTLEMENTS 



EARLY HISTORY OF 

Money Creek Township 



McLean County, Illinois. 



BY D. F. TRIMMER, OF LEXINGTON 



The committee having charge, have assigned to me the 
agreeable task of producing some historical sketches and re- 
miniscences of Money Creek township in the early days. 

It is right that the facts and incidents connected with the 
reclamation of this fair land from the wilderness should be 
collected and preserved, and our historical societies are de- 
serving of thanks for their work along these lines of useful 
endeavor. Also to those who have been born since the first 
settlements of the country, and to those who may have come 
hither from older populated sections, at a later date, the recital 
will display the contrast between the past and the present. 

I hope to show the old times were the good times, that manly 
men and womanly women were the rule and not the exception ; 
that the boys and the girls were brought up in the way they 
should go, and when older did not depart from it, that the re- 
ligious, strenuous life lived in those days nerved and strength- 
ened them for trials later on. 

Well on to a century has passed, 91 years in fact, since John 
Trimmer and family of Huntington county, New Jersey, 
packed their belongings and started for the great West to 
found a home, their destination being Sangamon county, Illi- 
nois. The journey led them across the rough and rugged 
range of the Alleghanies, through the dense forests of Ohio, 
the swamps of Indiana, and across the trackless prairies of 
Illinois. The jaded condition of their teams compelled them 



2 

to go into camp near the claim of Louis Sowards and George 
Harness on the Money Creek, near where the village of To- 
wanda now is. 

In a few weeks the husband sickened, and died October 3rd, 
1826, and was buried in a puncheon coffin, at what is now the 
Pennell cemetery. The widow and eight orphaned children 
were left practically alone in the midst of a wild prairie. But 
Mrs. Trimmer, remarkable woman that she was, rose to meet 
the trying conditions into which she was thrust, and with a 
bravery and fortitude worthy to be commemorated by her de- 
scendants, raised her children to manhood and womanhood and 
to be useful members of society. My father, Jesse Trimmer, 
was one of these children. 

In the fall of 1826, Jacob Spawr arrived here, coming from 
Pennsylvania. Mr. Spawr not only joined and worked for the 
family, but he did more, he married Miss Eliza Ann, a daugh- 
ter to Mrs. Trimmer. This was no private affair for the rea- 
son Mr. Spawr could get no marriage license, and he was com- 
pelled to post notices on trees and other public places. 

In a few years. Uncle Jake, as he was called, moved to Lex- 
ington where he raised a large family, all girls. Two are still 
living here, Mrs. Noah Franklin and Mrs. Emily Shade. Mr. 
Spawr died at the extreme age of one hundred and one years. 
He had filled many positions of honor and trust, and had as- 
sociated with Abraham Lincoln and many of the noted men 
of his time. 

A good country attracts and makes good people, and the 
requisite thing with early settlers was wood, water, and a deep 
rich soil. Money Creek township has all these and more — she 
has for the most part a beautiful landscape. 

Bought Land at $1.25 per Acre 

The records show that Jesse Trimmer bought land from 
the government as early as 1835 at $1.25 per acre. Daniel 
Trimmer, an older brother, had land that joined that of Jesse 
Trimmer on the south. Daniel Trimmer died by accidental^ 

*f« 27 tt!8 



3 
shooting while going to the election, November 4th, 1860. 
]M}rs. Trimmer retained the farm, kept her children together, 
all growing to splendid manhood and womanhood. To say 
that the Trimmer cousins were as thick as "three in a bed" was 
no joke, "it was a reality and in a trundle bed at that." 

Settlers were now beginning to arrive, attracted no doubt 
by our rich soil, cheap lands and other inducements. 

The Stretch family came to McLean county in 1830, the 
Ogdens in 1831 ; the Moatses in 1832, as did William Wilcox, 
coming here from Ohio. James McAfferty came at this time 
and settled on the east of Money Creek. The Bishops came in 
1836, settling on the west side near the Moats neighborhood. 
The Bishops were a resourceful set of people and their services 
were in demand. They could teach school, preach, make brick, 
do carpenter work, or keep a postof f ice. It was Wesley Bishop 
who made the brick and laid them in the wall for my father's 
house about the year of 1850. A sad accident happened to one 
of the Bishop children ; it wandered from the home, fell into a 
pit that was being used for making brick and was drowned. 

The log cabins gradually gave way to bigger and better 
houses, this made the demand for lumber. The first saw mills 
were built in 1837 and 1838 by Adam Hinthorne and W. G. 
Bishop. George Wallace built a saw mill and a grist mill on 
the Mackinaw on the land now owned by Mrs. Donnelly, about 
the year of 1834, and they v^^ere run until 1857. Hamilton 
Mathias later built a mill on Money Cree'k and did an extensive 
business. 

Mills 

Jonathan McAfferty ;run a steam saw mill on land now 
owned by A. A. Stewart. Here large quantities of ties, wood 
and bridge stuff were sawed out and delivered to Hudson for 
the Illinois Central Railroad that was being built about 1850. 
Two shifts of men were used. George P. Brown, who now 
lives in Lexington and is 87 years old, and Nelson Manning, 
now 95 years old, were head sawyers. A Mr. Daniel Streevy 
boarded the men and did the hauling and made enough money 



4 
to finish paying for his farm. The land is now owned by 
Mrs. C. J. W. McNemar. 

It would be well to remember, in very dry times these grist 
mills could not be operated and corn had to be pounded in a 
mortar, which was a very slow process. The settlers often 
took their grist to Ottawa, Bowling Green and other places. 
Considering that there were no roads and no bridges, it was 
a task we of this age know but little about. 

Such simple articles as salt were a necessity and generally 
brought from Chicago in exchange for wheat. Wheat was 
generally sowed in the corn and covered with a shovel plow, 
cut with reap hooks or cradles and tramped with horses, I 
have rode and led horses around the ring often, and turned the 
old fan mill by the hour, have planted corn in every third fur- 
row behind the prairie plow which made fairly good corn. I 
have dropped corn for days at a time on the old Brown corn- 
planter with wooden runners, then dropped for a neighbor 
and took a pig for pay, which was my very own. To watch 
that pig grow was a pleasure and a delight. 

Wild Game 

Prairie chickens were abundant. In the springtime, wild 
ducks and geese, cranes, brants and wild pigeons filled the 
fields, earth and sky almost. Our gray hound could easily 
outrun a gray wolf, but to kill it was another thing. The 
gray hound brings up the matter of racing. My uncle, James 
Gilmore, in an early day, matched his sorrel stallion, named 
"Dangerous Billy," against George Van Dolah's little sorrel 
mare. My uncle's horse won out and the strides or jumps 
were 22 feet by actual measure ; that was going some. The 
race was run on the Gilmore track. There was no drunken- 
ness, no fights, simply a fair, square "boss race." There was 
betting of course. 

In early days the settlers depended more on their cattle, 
hogs and sheep for a living than they did on raising grain. 
Here are the quotations for the year of 1845, which seems 



5 

extremely low : Hogs, $1.50 per hundred ; cows, $10.00 each ; 
corn, 10 cents per bushel. 

James Van Dolah, Jesse Trimmer and Peter Hefner were 
the principal cattle dealers and feeders. Their adjoining 
farms, at one time, reached almost across the township; their 
residences being on a straight line east and west. They would 
raise a few cattle each year (all cattle were Shorthorns or 
Durham breed). They would buy from their neighbors far 
and near, at so much per head, they were also experts ait 
guessing weights, practice taught them that. The daily ration 
for feeding their cattle was about one-fourth bushel of shock 
corn in the winter season, with a little timothy hay and the 
run of a blue grass pasture that was never closely cropped. 
These cattle were kept until they were about three years old, 
being fat and thoroughly matured, they brought in later years 
close to $100.00 per head. Of course hogs were raised and 
took up the litter, then fed until late in the summer, this was 
mostly clear gain. One great advantage was the money, all 
came in a bunch and would go a long way towards paying for 
more land. The men above mentioned never sold corn, but 
they bought all their neighbors had to sell. Bloomington 
butchers, in an early day, kept men riding the country con- 
tinually to supply home trade, buying mostly dry cows and 
heifers. 

George McNaught, who married Nancy Franklin, lived in 
the extreme northeast part of the township, and was not 
among the oldest settlers. He became quite wealthy. This 
was the way he acquired his wealth. The pioneer packers of 
Chicago, (Mr. Hough, I think) would advance all the money 
needed to purchase cattle with in the spring, agreeing to buy 
them in the fall at so much per pound, dressed. The quarters 
were weighed on platform scales. These cattle would be 
driven to Chicago. Mr. McNaught continued to drive even 
after the railroad came, which was about 1853. That way of 
doing business "sure was a sure thing." Mr. McNaught had 
the largest and best orchard in the county. 



6 

Mr. Noah Franklin, who is a large land owner on the 
eastern side of the township, commenced early to breed and 
feed full blood and high grade cattle, and still continues in the 
business. 

When a mere boy, helping my father gather cattle up and 
down the Mackinaw, and in lower White Oak Grove, I no- 
ticed our stopping places were always at large white houses 
and red barns and cattle around of all kinds. I drew the con- 
clusion they naturally went together, and that the cattle were 
responsible for the big houses and red barns. I know at our 
old home, cattle were company and a kind of an inspiration, 
knowing that they brought results. 

The roads in early days as now were a vexed question. 
Timber roads were almost always bad, wet and undrained 
places were cut into ruts, the horses' feet would leave great 
holes and after freezing travel over such places can not well 
be described, it has to be experienced. The reason our roads 
are crooked and zigzag is, they follow the original Indian trails 
and are not on established lines, but they are gradually being 
straightened. 

One of the old trails ran in a southwesterly direction from 
Indian Grove to a tall lone elm tree near Mr. Melvin Bar- 
nard's. Just to accommodate the public, Mr. Barnard drew 
a straight furrow from the lone elm tree into Bloomington, 
it passed what was known in early years as "The Delzell 
Farm," near where Normal now is. 

I recall two people who deserve the thanks of the com- 
munity, Oliver Tilbury (deceased), of Towanda, who made 
and sold drain tile at a reasonable price ; and Nicholas Murphy 
of Lexington, who is still living at the age of 93 years, and 
who did nothing for many years but lay tile. He also helped 
build the C. & A. Railroad into Lexington. I remember my 
mother reading to me when a boy, a bit of poetry which ran 
like this and is applicable here : 



"The roads are impassable, 
Even for jack-assable, 
And he that would travel 'em 
Must turn in and gravel 'em." 

That is just the thing we have done and are doing to a cer- 
tain extent, and, with the aid and influence of the auto-men, 
are beginning to pull ourselves out of the mud. 

The bridge across Money Creek, near W. F. Bishop's, w^as 
washed out in the spring of 1848 and rebuilt the same year. 

Money Creek Schools 

The first school taught in Money Creek was in the year of 
1836 and 1837; the year of 1836 will be remembered as the 
year of the sudden freeze or sleet storm, which was so sudden 
that chickens froze in their tradks. 

The school was taught in one of the rooms of a double log 
cabin. Isaac Messer and family occupied the other room. The 
cabin was located near the creek in the Moats settlement. W. 
F. Bishop was the first teacher. A new log school house was 
built on the lands owned by Nathan Busic. The building was 
eighteen feet square and contained four glass windows, had a 
plank floor and was heated by a stove that was donated by 
Mr. Dickerson. Austin White was the first teacher, follow^ed 
by J. Dow, D. Blood, Mr. Barton, W. F. Bishop, Wm. Moore, 
J. McAfferty, Margaret Ogden, Wallace Coman, Mrs. Merry- 
man and W. F. Johnson. 

Later on a neat frame school building was erected on land 
owned by Jesse Trimmer. Marion Kane w-as the first teacher, 
followed by Henry Flory, Margaret Clai^k, Mahlon Stroud, 
H. Coons. Frances Burlingham, x\nna Clifford, P. W. Bishop, 
Betsey iMcMillen, J. D. K. Lowery, Salina Crum, Almeda 
Mills J. M. Weakley, D. F. Trimmer, Mr. Smith. Emma 
Overman, Mary E. Trimmer, Parmelia Mlahan. John Moats, 
Ona Moats, Nellie Fincham, Asa Skinner, and others I do not 
recall. 

J. M. Weakley, who was reading law at the time he taught, 
organized a literary and debating society, (mostly for his own 



8 
benefit no doubt), which proved very interesting and beneficial 
to the school and community as well. 

The school has been enlarged and looks not unlike a mod- 
ern cottage, the grounds are well kept. The present and 
efficient teacher. Miss Maud Armstrong has taught the Trim- 
mer school for eight years continuously. 

Curriculum and methods are now quite different from what 
they were in the schools years ago. Geography was taught by 
singing the capitals of the states, giving names where located. 
Capital of Maine, Augusta, on the Kennebec river. New 
York, Albany, on the Hudson river, and so on. To make 
words and tunes harmonize repetition was often necessary. 
A nice marching exercise was singing the fives of the multipli- 
cation table to the tune of Yankee Doodle. The squares of 
numbers from 1 to 25 were committed to memory. It is easy 
now when asked how many shocks of corn are in a field 19 
in a row, each way, to say at once 361. Ray's Arithmetic, 
third part, led the pupil so gradually, the first example worked 
out and explained and answers given, that a teacher was hardly 
necessary. 

Spelling was a hobby, and to stand at the head of a class was 
a great honor, at the foot a disgrace. Webster's Unabridged 
Dictionary cost $12 and was generally owned by the teacher 
for his own benefit, but the several pages of words and defi- 
nitions in the back part of McGuf fie's spelling book took the 
place very well so far as they went. It was like this : "Air, the 
atmosphere. Heir, one who inherits." "Cousin, a relation. 
Cozen, to cheat," and so on. The pupils were required to 
spell the word and give the definition and once learned they 
were never forgotten. 

Reading was taught thoroughly, and the sentiment or sub- 
ject matter was the best, for instance, take the address of 
Patrick Henry, or the speech of Webster, on the trial of mur- 
der. We all remember the picture of the boy in the apple tree 
and the old man's admonition, "If kind words won't suffice 
we will see what virtue there is in stones." Also the picture 
of the milk-maid and of the farmer and the lawyer, who said, 



9 
it makes a difference whose ox is gored. These were all in 
Webster's Elementary blue backed spelling book. 

Amusements there were, plenty of them : town ball, three 
cornered cat, anthony over, bull-pen, shinny on ice, marbles, 
riding stick horses, prisoner's base and black man, spelling 
schools, literaries, etc. 

Male teachers were employed for the winter and women 
for the summer months. The average attendance was from 
40 to 60. Families were large and most all owned their own 
homes, the community was permanent, and not continually 
changing as it does now. Good will, sociability and neighborly 
kindness abounded every where, scholars exchanged visits 
and spent the night with each other frequently, and the extra 
dinner-pail filled with good ham sandwiches, and apple and 
blackberry pie is pleasant to contemplate even now. 

These happy, hardy boys and girls are now many of them 
gray, infirm and old, but they received a practical education 
which daily life shows; they are, all of them, the kind that is 
worth while. 

Melvin Barnard 

Melvin Barnard was one of the earlier settlers to take a 
claim in Money Creek, about 1830. His capital was 75 cents, 
25 of this was spent for a postage stamp that he might inform 
his friends in North Carolina, from whence he came, of his 
safe arrival in Illinois. 

There was a silent partner, his wife, who figured largely in 
the success of the concern later on. She was big in heart as 
well as body, tall and muscular, weighing 250 pounds, and 
could shoulder a three-bushel bag of wheat, a feat few women 
can do. 

Mr. and Mrs. Barnard brought eleven stalwart sons and 
(laughters into this world, and labored for them with the fond 
hope that they, some day, would prove a blessing and 'be a 
blessing to them. Not a single one has betrayed the trust 
In this group of eleven children, there were two sets of twins, 
Frank and Lizzie, Eli and Levi. 



10 
Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Barnard was a cripple 
and walked with a crutch, by good management and the splen- 
did help of his boys and girls, he became the possessor of 200 
acres of fine farm land. One of the boys, on a wager, could 
cut 100 shock of corn in a day. This took tact and strength, 
and showed that red blood coursed through their veins. 

Mr. Barnard proved his patriotism during the Civil War, 
by sending to the front two sons, James O. and Austin Y., 
also three son-in-laws, Elias Busic, Arthur Busic and John 
Kiger, the last two were killed. 

Others from Money Creek who were in the War and never 
returned were Joseph Stretch, Frank Stretch, Davidson Dod- 
son, Mr. Arbuckle, Quinselle Rayburn, William M. Trimmer 
and William Trimmer. These last two were cousins, com- 
panions in life, they sleep near each other in death in the 
Pennell cemetery, and will till wars shall be no more. James 
Lugenbill of the Mexican war also sleeps here. 

There are four generations of Barnards living in section 21, 
Money Cree'k township, Samuel Frances, occupying a part of 
the original homestead. These neat, well tilled farms all join 
and show evidence of thrift and enterprise. During the har- 
vest and rush season the owners do not worry for they can 
and do help each other, making it both pleasant and conven- 
ient. 

About the year 1863, the big Republican rally was held 
in Walnut Grove, just south of the Jesse Trimmer homestead. 
The weather was perfect, people came for miles from every 
direction. The speakers were from Bloomington, music was 
furnished by Woodard's Cornet Band, and dinner was spread 
on long tables in the shade of the trees. S. F. Barnard and 
Miss Anna Read, a teacher, were instrumental for the great 
success ; flags were flying, banners waving, these were strenu- 
ous, stirring times. During the storm and stress of the re- 
bellion, I well remember "The Knights of the Golden Circle," 
a secret order, who held their meetings in old unoccupied 
buildings, in out of the way places. The sympathies of the 



11 
order were all with the South and they would rejoice when 
the boys in blue would meet with defeat. 

The writer can recall much of the war spirit that was rife 
every where in the '60's ; the fiery and patriotic speeches, the 
attraction and admiration of the boys in blue, when home on 
furlough, the crutch and cane, the empty sleeves and new 
made graves in our own home. 

Upon the face and form of the martyred president, the 
writer never looked while living, but through the goodness 
of parents and kindness of a neighbor, Mr. Wilson, was in at- 
tendance at his funeral. 

One solid stream of comrades and friends passed through 
the State House in solemn silence and with heads bared they 
took the last lingering look as he lay covered with the flag he 
loved so well. In the afternoon the funeral car passed slowly 
through the streets to the tomb at Oak Park. The old family 
horse followed close behind, platoons of soldiers with arms 
reversed and with bayonets glistening in the sunlight, march- 
ing to muffled drums and the funeral dirge, the draped flags 
formed a sublime spectacle, the like of which was never seen 
and will never be forgotten. 

The Ogdens 

Benjamin Ogden became a large land owner and stock 
raiser. His son, Jesse, was a prominent man in the com- 
munity. Samuel lived farther north along the Mackinaw. He 
also dealt in cattle, roadsters and running horses ; these traits 
were inherited. If there ever was an honest race rider, Samuel 
Ogden was one of these. 

Jonathan, of whom I am writing, Hved one-half mile north 
and west of our old home. Kinder, better neighbors never 
lived, and a friendship was formed among the younger ones of 
the family that time can not erase. He was married to Audria 
Ruttan, in 1824, and to this union eleven children were born, 
eight girls and three boys ; all growing to maturity. 



12 

The farm contains 80 acres, 40 of prairie and 40 of timber. 
The farming tools were of necessity crude and farming was 
not carried on very extensively; money was scarce and hard 
to get, in fact the only cash outlay required was mostly for 
coffee, tea and taxes, the corn was mostly cut up and the fod- 
der fed to the stock. The hogs lived on mast from early fall 
to late winter; the horses, cattle and sheep ran on the com- 
mons; sugar and syrup were made from maple trees; the 
tinkling cow-bells as they came trailing home of an evening, 
made music that the younger people know little about. 

The houses were built of logs, chinked and whitewashed, 
being warm and comfortable; a large fire-place was on the 
west end with brick chimney on the outside. The barn was 
also of logs and quakuenasp poles were kept where the horses 
could gnaw them, the bark being a blood purifier. Everything 
in the house was for the most part home-made, especially the 
big heavy loom. Rings of pumpkins, and hunks of beef were 
hung on the mantel to dry, and the old rifle in the rack. The 
wood-pile was at the west, on which much time and work was 
spent. South of the house was the well, with a long balanced 
pole for a pump. Here was the old oaken bucket, not in fancy 
but in fact. It was Woodworth, who said "How dear to my 
heart are the scenes of my child-hood, when fond recollections 
presents them to view; the orchard, the meadow, the deep 
tangled wildwood, and every loved spot which my infancy 
knew. The old oaken bucket, the iron bound bucket, the moss 
covered bucket which hung in the well." 

Mariah was the oldest daughter, and married Isaiah Coon. 
She was one of the founders of the Christian church in the 
Gregory settlement north of the Mackinaw. Margaret died in 
young womanhood. Mary, who was the wife of Adam Hin- 
thorn, has been totally blind for many years. She is still the 
same patient, kind woman that she was, and lives among her 
children. Deliah married Jacob Coon. Sarah was the wife 
of Nelson Manning, who worked for my father many years. 
While digging corn shocks out of the snow and sleet, he would 
sing the good old songs and hymns when others would curse 
and swear. 



13 

About 1850, he and George P. Brown, were the head saw- 
yers for the old McAfferty mill, getting out ties for the Illi- 
nois Central Railroad. He was married to Sarah Ogden. At 
this time, being now 95 years old, he lives with his son, De- 
manthus, at Briceton, Ohio. Susan and Elizabeth married 
brothers, Joshua and Marion Busic. They own farms north 
of Towanda, but live in the village. 

Deborah married Hiram Stretch, who owned a small farm 
north of the home place. Creighton was a stout, husky boy 
who loved his home, mother's cooking and his fluffy feather 
bed, and perhaps was never out of the state or county, but 
when the war of the rebellion came he was among the first to 
answer the call and went to the south, there to sleep under the 
stars and on the ground, enduring the heat, rain and cold, 
facing shot and shell, not under cover of ditches, but in wheat 
fields and on the open plain, all that the Union might not be 
disrupted. Did you ever stop to think the conquering army 
was made of boys mostly like that. 

James H. Ogden I seldom see. Memories of him that linger 
were the old fire-place and the old fiddle. When finally tuned 
up, Jim with his strong sweet soprano voice, with violin ac- 
companiment, would sing "Uncle Ned had no wool on the top 
of his head, the place where the wool ought to grow." It was 
music and melody to my boyish soul, for Jim put his whole soul 
into that dead darkey song. Daniel, the youngest boy, by 
economy, good management and a helpmate that worked in- 
doors and out, now owns a well located Jersey dairy farm, 
south and east of his old home. The Trimmer school he at- 
tended when a boy, is only a few rods away, a daily reminder 
of the old sports and the new teaching. 

Mrs. Ogden was the neighborhood nurse and always ready 
to help the sick and suffering. These plain, unassuming old 
people, of whom I speak and whom I honor, have long since 
passed to their reward. They knew nothing of pleasure, po- 
sition or power, nor of the things that sap the strength and 



14 
soil the soul; early in life they committed themselves into the 
hands of Him who said, "I will never leave thee or forsake 
thee" as did all the children, one by one. 

It is said that: ''Home is where the heart is." Love reigned 
supreme in and around this homely home. The best paying 
and most satisfactory crop raised on the old' farm was the 
crop of boys and girls who never gave their parents one mo- 
ment of anxiety or pain and are all honest, peaceful, law abid- 
ing citizens of the community. 

Churches 

The Trimmers were of the Methodist faith, services were 
held in their cabin when opportunity offered, or a traveling 
missionary was passing. David Trimmer, the elder son, be- 
came a preacher later on. 

To the Moats family belongs the credit of establishing the 
United Brethren church on Money Creek, To Melvin Bar- 
nard belongs the credit of the Christian church. It was they 
who threw open their homes to the earlier preachers, the latch 
string was out, also it was they, w^ho did most of the praying 
and the paying. 

In 1856 the United Brethren built a neat substantial church, 
John P. Eckles was the first regular circuit preacher, in the 
Moats settlement. The Christian church, in the Barnard 
settlement, was built one year later. Uncle Jimmy Robinson 
was the first to hold regular services and a large congregation 
was built up. He was a well educated man for one of his tim.e 
Here the house was always well filled, men on one side and 
women on the other. The old songs were sung not only in 
the church, but by the cradle, and around the fireside. The 
sermons were plain, well prepared and delivered w'ith a fire and 
force that brought conviction. When the venerable white 
haired preacher, with his strong tenor voice, would lead the 
congregation in singing, "Am I a soldier of the cross," it was 
simply inspiring and a lesson the young people did not soon 

forget. 

Of the 12,000 souls Elder Robinson is said to have brought 
into the church and to a higher and nobler life, Money Creek 
furnished her quota and more. 



15 

Today the United Brethren Church is as silent and still as 
Babylon and Nineveh. The Christian church, like hundreds 
of others in the rural districts, has disappeared from the map. 
dairy cows now graze on the sacred spot. 

The church and the school house were planted side by side, 
few are willing to make their homes where ignorance and im- 
morality are unrestrained. 

Conditions have changed, but the message once delivered 
lives today in the hearts and homes of men and the children's 
children. You may move away or tear down the old buildings, 
but you can not destroy the characters whose foundations 
were there laid for the realization of all that is good and noble 
in life. 

Indians 

The Kickapoo and Pottawatomie tribes were in possession 
of this section in the early days. They were continually on 
the move from Indian Grove, Blooming Grove, Pleasant Hill, 
and other places. Of course they passed through Money 
Creek often They had quite an extensive field near what is 
now Pleasant Hill. 

The intercourse between the Indians and the early settlers 
was of a friendly character. They would steal water-melons 
occasionally, and a white man would do the same. The play- 
mates of my father were Indian boys who were invited to the 
cabin and given the best of everything to eat. Somethings they 
had to learn but they were not at all backward. 

It has been said the only good Indian is a "dead Indian." 
The following will show this to be not true. In 1854 a Kicka- 
poo Indian from Kansas visited Pleasant Hill at John Pat- 
ton's. This Indian was born and raised just east of Pleasant 
Hill and was living there when the Pattons came in 1829. He 
knew Patton and his family and made them quite a visit. He 
preached one Sunday in the Grove and the entire community 
was in attendance. He spoke of his father and mother, who 
were buried in the Indian cemetery nearby; and of his boy- 
hood days spent in the country round about, and the wonder- 



16 
ful change that had taken place in the twenty years that had 
elapsed since his people were in the majority in this country. 
It was a day long to be remembered by all who heard him. He 
was about fifty years of age, and was a man of education and 
influence with his i)eople. 

About the year 1832 there were some little Indian disturb- 
ances, and General Bartholomew, who married a McNaught, 
ordered a fort or block house built as a place of refuge for the 
scattering settlers. This fort was located on what is now the 
Mrs. J. B. Dawson farm, on the gravel road just west of the 
C. & A. railroad crossing. The exact spot is six rods south- 
east of the residence, but nothing remains to mark the spot. 
The building was 20x30 feet, two stories high, and was built 
of green logs. The upper story projected and a narrow space 
was left so shots could be fired from the top, should the enemy 
try to scale the wall or kindle a fire. Preparedness for war it 
is said prevents war, so it was in this instance, the expected 
never happened, the enemy never appeared, and the fort as a 
means of defense, was not made use of. To Joseph Bartholo- 
mew more than others, we are indebted for the blazing and 
preparing the way for our rich heritage in this community. 

Mr. Bartholomew lies buried in the Clarksville cemetery 
where a splendid monument marks his resting place. 

Money Creek Boys Who Have Made Good 

The following is a partial list of Money Creek boys who 
are in the public eye, and who have made good : 

Hon. Thomas Tipton (deceased), teacher, lawyer, county 
judge, and a member of Congress. 

D. H. Van Dolah, farmer, banker, and importer of French 
draft horses. He made seventeen importations. 

Osceola McNemar, teacher and preacher. 

M. J. Trimmer, retired farmer, who has held and success- 
fully filled every office in the Township worth having. 

Elmon Ogden, owner of the old homestead and raiser of 
registered Shorthorn cattle. 



17 
iGeorge Flesher, present sheriff of McLean county. 

Joseph F. McNaught, lawyer. 

J. Ml. McNaught, general counsel, Northern Pacific R. R. 

Hon. N. E. Franklin, ex-senator, manager of his father's 
farm. 

B. A. Franklin, lawyer. 

John F. Trimmer, importer of French draft horses, two im- 
portations. 

Enos Stewart, retired farmer and business man. 

George E. Brown, retired farmer, present mayor of Lex- 
ington. 

Albert Fulton, physician and surgeon, 

Ethan McAfferty, physician and surgeon, graduate of Rush 
Medical School of Chicago. 

Eldon Trimmer, superintendent of construction, having 
built some of the largest buildings in Chicago. 

Herbert Franklin, chief surgeon, St. Margaret's Hospital, 
Green Valley, 111. 

John W. Moats (deceased), teacher and preacher. 

Chalmers Rayburn, teacher and county judge. 

Ellsworth McNemar, states attorney, Peoria county. 

Cleveland McNemar, professor in George Washington Uni- 
versity. 

Philip Crose, farmer and railroad man. 

B. W. Stover, retired farmer. 

John Biggs, banker, Hume, Missouri. 

Frank Flesher, writer, musician and showman. 

Leslie Barnard, signs his name D.D.S. 

S. A. D. Henline, druggist and chemist, Kearney, Neb. 

Emory Franklin, manager of Forepaugh's and Ringling 
Bros.' Shows, who, for fifty cents, brings these useful and 



18 
colossal entertainments to the poor man's door, and whose 
daily receipts run into the thousands. 

This is a record of which we may well be proud. The writ- 
er knew them personally. They are what they are by their 
own exertions. From their infancy they were taught to be 
honest, truthful and industrious, an asset and not a liability in 
the family concern. They were different from the young 
man who spent so much of his time scheming how he might 
get some of the surplus money of his rich uncle, that he had no 
time to make a living. 

While the physical results of the pioneer are all about us, 
the moral effect is still more so. 

Money Creek, as I once knew it, had no need of jails or 
juries or criminal confinements ; no drunkards, no paupers, no 
dependent poor, no bickering and strife; "His hand was not 
against every man, and every other man's hand against him." 
The golden rule was the rule of life. The songs were mostly 
the sacred songs. The old Mason and Hamlin organ, as a 
civilizer and home-builder, deserves more credit as such than 
it ever received. The old fire-place gave both warmth and 
cheer. Books and papers were scarce, but apples, cider, pop- 
corn and other good things to eat were always on the little 
stand. "Early to bed and early to rise" was the rule and 
strictly enforced ; tired bodies made sleep sure and sweet. 

Our mothers taught us to be honest, and we tried so to be; 
taught us to be always employed at something, and so we have 
tried to be industrious ; taught us to speak evil of no one, and 
and this has smoothed the pathway of life in many ways. 

My mother was the most industrious, economical, and even 
tempered woman I ever knew, and much of the success of her 
husband was due to these noble traits of character of hers. 
She lived but fifty-nine years, but they were busy, beautiful 
years. 

The preparation of this paper, imperfect and disconnected 
as it is, has been a source of great pleasure to me. Many of the 
thoughts and incidents connected therewith have been as mile- 



19 
stones in the memory of the past, and have caused alternate 
seasons of joy and sadness. 

In a few years the old settlers will have passed away. We 
are, and ought to be, grateful to those who have surmounted 
every difficulty, the results of which we are enjoying here 
and now. The pioneers under conditions unknown by us of 
today, extracted much sweetness from life; established right 
characters and experienced financial success. They made it 
possible for us of the younger generation to have greater op- 
portunities in many ways than they had ; let us remember their 
toil, emulate their example, revere their memory. 




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